Game apparatus.



E. P. GHALMERS.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.17, 1909.

958,722. Patented May 24, 19106 EDWARD P. CHALMERS, OF NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Application filed September 17, 1909. Serial No. 518,248.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. CHAL- MERS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Norwood, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This game-apparatus provides means for playing a game which may properly belong to the class termed educational games, and more specifically to geographical games; and it has for its principal objects to aid and stimulate the memory, widen the outlook, and sharpen the attention of the player, and to provide a means of relaxation which is not frivolous which teachers may find useful in their work.

The invention comprises a surface of suitable shape and size to receive a circular line of letters, and a pointer or indicating-hand whose inner end is secured to the surface centrally and adapted to be moved like a clock-hand and point to any one of the letters in the circle. The arrangement of these letters is an essential feature of the invention. They are arranged non-consecutively, that is, not in alphabetical order, and many of the letters are repeated once or more than once, the duplicates not being side by side but in different parts of the circle. Moreover the relative frequency of the letters follows approximately, or as nearly as possible in so short a list, the relative numbers of proper names under each letter of the alphabet in the Century Atlas of the IVorZd. The lettering is, in fact, founded on the comparative frequency of the letters appearing as initials of the names appearing in the Ucntnrg Atlas or in any suitable atlas, but they are applied in non-alphabetical order.

The nature of the invention in detail is described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central section of the same.

a represents a card or plate having a fiat surface. In the drawing it is represented as circular, but it may be of any suitable shape.

I) is a circular line of letters of the alphabet preferably between concentric lines 0, the letters being preferably set radially whereby the pointer or indicator d, which is pivotally secured to the central point in the card at 6, may be swung to indicate any letter in the circle and when thus indicating it will be in a radial line which is central with the letter and perpendicular to its base line.

As above stated these letters are non-consecutive in their arrangement, and many of them are repeated once or more than once. Thus, A occurs twice, B three times, C three times, D once, E once, F once, Gr twice, H twice, I once, J once, K twice, L twice, M three times, N once, 0 once, P twice, Q, once, It twice, S three times, T twice, U once, V once, once, X once, Y once, and Z once. This relative frequency of the letters, based as above stated on the comparative frequency'of the initials of names of places appearing in an atlas of the world, is as accurate as possible in a circle composed of forty-two letters. In a circle having double or treble that number of letters, the accuracy would doubtless be somewhat greater. Any number of letters may be placed in the circle as desired without departing from the scheme or principle of arrangement above set forth.

In the preferred method of playing the game, the leader turns the pointer by slight touches, and pronounces the letter at which it stops, and each player writes at once the geographical name of which such letter is the initial which comes to his memory. When fifty letters have been called (or other agreed number) the game is finished, and the player who has Written the largest number of words containing the correct initials is the winner. .The leader acts as judge as to the rapidity with which the pointer is operated, playing off ties, and other questions which may arise during the progress of the game. Preferably at least ten letters a minute should be designated, as the faster the game is played, up to a reasonable point, the more interesting it is apt to be. In the event of a letter being called twice, at the second call names must be written which were not written at the first call.

It is evident that instead of names of places, names of books or authors may be used, in which cases a dictionary of authors or the Century Dictionary of Names may be employed in laying out the letters for constructing a game.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a game-apparatus of the general character described, a card or surface having printed or inscribed on ita circle or ring of letters of the alphabet arranged in nonalphabetical order and each letter of the alphabet being used one or more times, the relative frequency of the appearance of clifferent letters corresponding substantially with the relative numbers of names in a suitable dictionary or standard reference book of names having corresponding initial letters, and a pointer connected with the card or surface and adapted to be moved over it and point to the different letters inscribed thereon.

2. In a game-apparatus of the general character described, a card or surface having printed or inscribed on it a circle or ring of letters of the alphabet some of which occur with greater relative frequency than others, such frequency corresponding sub- 20 stantially with the relative numbers of names having corresponding initial letters in a suitable dictionary or standard reference book of names, and a pointer adapted to be moved over said surface and point to the different letters inscribed thereon.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD P. CHALMERS.

lVitnesses:

HENRY \V. WVILLIAMs, M. A. A'rwoon. 

